Press Releases

2018

October 4, 2018NEWS RELEASE CONTACT: Tammy Kraft, (440) 350-2851October 4, 2018 LAKE COUNTY GENERAL HEALTH DISTRICT Lake County General Health District to Host Parent Cafés in Lake, Geauga, and Ashtabula CountiesThe Lake County General Health District (LCGHD) received a grant from the Ohio Children’s Trust Fund to host Parent Cafés in Lake, Geauga, and Ashtabula counties and will be partnering with The Ohio State University (OSU) Extension Office of Lake County. Parent Café is a safe, informal gathering where parents, parents-to-be, grandparents and other guardians of zero to six-year old children can talk about the challenges, worries and victories of raising a family. Parent Café is based on the Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework, which is a national research-based initiative that aims to develop and enhance five specific characteristics, or Protective Factors, that help keep families strong and promote optimal development of children. Tammy Kraft, a Parent Café facilitator from the Lake County General Health District says, “Parent Café’s create friendships and support systems for parents. We can share ideas and work together to come up with solutions to the struggles at hand.”Through enjoyable and thoughtful discussion, reflection and parent-to-parent sharing, the participants can explore their strengths and weaknesses, learn about the Protective Factors and create strategies to build strong, healthy families. The Five Protective Factors are:Parental Resilience: The ability to cope with and bounce back from all types of challenges.Social Connections: Friends, family, and neighbors provide emotional support and concrete assistance to parents.Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development: Having accurate information about raising young children and appropriate expectations for their behavior help parents better understand and care for their children.Concrete Support in Times of Need: Parents need access to the concrete supports and services that can minimize the stress of difficult situations.Social and Emotional Competence of Children: A child’s ability to interact positively with others, to self-regulate, and to effectively communicate his or her emotions has a great impact on the parent-child relationship. The Parent Cafés will be facilitated by an Associate Health Educator from the LCGHD and Educators from the OSU Extension Office of Lake County. Each Café will consist of three weekly two-hour sessions. The program is free and includes childcare, a light meal and some giveaways. For dates, times and locations, please visit www.lcghd.org/parentcafe. If you have questions or would like to register, please contact Tammy Kraft at 440-350-2851 or tkraft@lcghd.org. If you would like a supply of posters and flyers to help spread the word about the program, or if you would be able to provide giveaways, please contact Tammy Kraft at 440-350-2851 or email her at tkraft@lcghd.org. ###

October 1, 2018NEWS RELEASE CONTACT: Tara Perkins (440) 350-2439September 27, 2018 LAKE COUNTY GENERAL HEALTH DISTRICTFLU VACCINE CLINICS Lake County General Health District (LCGHD) would like to help you prepare for this year’s flu season by offering flu vaccine clinics this fall: Date/Time LocationCall to RegisterOctober 3, 2018Wednesday9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.Perry Senior Center2800 Perry Park RoadPerry, 44081 440.259.3772October 9, 2018Tuesday10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.Madison Senior Center2938 Hubbard RoadMadison, 44057 440.428.6664October 12, 2018Friday10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.(Adults Only)Lake County General Health District5966 Heisley RoadMentor, 44060 440.350.2544October 15, 2018Monday9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.(Children Only)Lake County General Health District5966 Heisley RoadMentor, 44060 440.350.2544October 16, 2018Tuesday9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.Concord Community Center7671 Auburn RoadPainesville, 44077 440.639.4650October 18, 2018Thursday1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m.Mentor Senior Center8484 Munson RoadMentor, 44060 440.974.5725October 22, 2018Monday1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m.Kirtland Senior Center7900 Euclid-Chardon RoadKirtland, 44094 440.256.4711October 25, 2018Thursday1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m.Wickliffe Senior Center900 Worden RoadWickliffe, 44092 440.373.5015November 7, 2018Wednesday1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m.Willowick Senior Center321 E. 314th StreetWillowick, 44095 440.585.5112 LCGHD will be giving out two types of flu vaccines for the 2018-2019 season:High dose – For individuals 65 years and older. Cost is $50.00.Standard dose – For individuals 18 – 64 years of age. Cost is $30.00Follow these three easy steps to get your flu vaccine:Check the schedule above to find the flu vaccine site location nearest you.Call the number listed under “Call to Register” in the schedule at the flu vaccine site location where you wish to attend.Be sure to bring all of your insurance cards. Methods of payment accepted are cash or check.LCGHD will accept Medicaid, Medicare Part B and private insurance plans. Please bring your insurance card(s) with you when you get the flu shot. Older adults and children with chronic medical conditions such as asthma, heart disease or diabetes are at a higher risk of developing flu-related complications and should be vaccinated. Always talk with your healthcare provider to determine if the flu vaccine is right for you.The flu can develop suddenly and range from a minor to severe illness. If you have flu-like symptoms, contact your health care provider immediately. The following table provided by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2018 is a helpful way to tell the difference between a cold and the flu: Signs and SymptomsInfluenzaColdSymptom onsetAbruptGradualFeverUsual; lasts 3-4 daysRareAchesUsual; often severeSlightChillsFairly commonUncommonFatigue, weaknessUsualSometimesSneezingSometimesCommonStuffy noseSometimesCommonSore throatSometimesCommonChest discomfort, coughCommon; can be severeMild to moderate; hacking cough Your healthcare provider may do a rapid or other test to determine if you have the flu and determine the best treatment for you. If you are diagnosed with the flu within one to two days of feeling ill, your healthcare provider may give you an antiviral as a form of treatment. Antivirals require a prescription and can lessen your symptoms and the amount of time that you are ill.If at any time you have questions regarding the flu or the flu vaccine, contact your healthcare provider or the LCGHD at 440.350.2554. You may also click on the following link for additional flu information: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/index.html . ###

September 19, 2018PRESS RELEASE CONTACT: Chris Loxterman (440) 350-2551 September 18, 2018 LAKE COUNTY GENERAL HEALTH DISTRICTSEPTEMBER IS FOOD SAFETY MONTHSeptember is Food Safety month and the Lake County General Health District would like share some information regarding food safety that can be overlooked at times. Nearly half of restaurant-related foodborne illness outbreaks are caused by sick food workers. Managers and owners of restaurants must communicate with their employees about their symptoms so they can make sure sick workers don’t spread foodborne illness. Managers need to know if a worker is sick so a decision can be made if they should handle foods or stay home.Did you know?The Food Code encourages employees to report to their managers about their illnesses and talk about foodborne illness in general. The food code is a science-based model code published by the United States Food and Drug Administration. Ohio has adopted these codes and developed rules to help prevent illness and outbreaks. The rules say that employees should tell managers about their illness symptoms. The manager is responsible for making sure the employees are aware of these reporting policies. While the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) does set privacy standards for protected information, it does not prevent managers from asking ill employees about their symptoms and diagnosis. Most foodborne illnesses are mild, short term, and do not fall under a disability. The food code allows for managers to work with employees regarding their symptoms and decide when to exclude them so they may work together to prevent the spread of foodborne illnesses.Food allergiesAccording to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 15 million Americans have food allergies. Food-allergic reactions are responsible for about 30,000 emergency room visits and 150-200 deaths per year. Many food-allergic reactions occur in restaurants with one in three people having had a reaction in a restaurant. The Health District recommends that managers provide food allergy training for all staff. Use dedicated food equipment and areas for preparing and cooking meals for customers with food allergies when possible. Areas and equipment should be cleaned per the food code when dedicated food preparation areas are not an option. Lastly, prepare ingredient lists and recipes for menu items that are available to the customer to view and decide whether or not to order an item in question. In working with staff and customers, you may be able to prevent a life-threatening reaction.For more information about Food Safety, visit www.lcghd.org or contact Chris Loxterman, Environmental Health Supervisor at 440-350-2551 or cloxterman@lcghd.org. ###

July 27, 2018PRESS RELEASE CONTACT: Jessica McCarthy (440) 350-2875July 26, 2018 LAKE COUNTY GENERAL HEALTH DISTRICTThis Labor Day, and Every Day: Drive Sober or Get Pulled OverEach year, Americans mark the end of summer with the Labor Day holiday weekend, a time to celebrate the hard work and many accomplishments of our country. Friends and families eagerly await pool parties, backyard barbecues, and other occasions to enjoy the last days of summer sunshine. Sadly, the Labor Day holiday has also become one of the deadliest, with drunk drivers endangering themselves and others on their way home from these holiday festivities. This year, Geauga Safe Communities Coalition is partnering with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to get drunk drivers off the roads and help save lives. The high-visibility national enforcement campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, runs from August 17 through September 3, 2018. During this period, local law enforcement will show zero tolerance for drunk driving. Increased state and national messages about the dangers of driving impaired, coupled with enforcement and increased officers on the road, aim to drastically reduce drunk driving on our nation’s roadways.Geauga Safe Communities Coalition will be hosting a Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Kickoff event on August 18, 2018 at the Claridon Woodlands Opening Celebration from noon until 9:00 p.m. Come enjoy the live music, food trucks, and a special presentation put on by the Geauga Safe Communities Coalition.Sadly, statistics prove that we have a lot of work to do to put an end to drunk driving. According to NHTSA, 10,497 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes in 2016. On average, 10,000 people were killed each year from 2012 to 2016, with one person being killed every 50 minutes in 2016. That is the equivalent of 20 jumbo jets crashing each year with no survivors. This is why Geauga Safe Communities Coalition is working with NHTSA to remind drivers that drunk driving is not only illegal, it is a matter of life and death. As you head out to Labor Day festivities, remember: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.Over the 2016 Labor Day holiday period (6:00 p.m. on September 2 – 5:59 a.m. September 6), there were 433 crash fatalities nationwide. Of the fatal crashes, more than one-third (36%) involved drivers who were drunk (.08+ blood alcohol concentration [BAC]), and one-fourth (25%) involved drivers who were driving with a BAC almost twice the legal limit (.15+ BAC). Age is a particularly risky factor: Among the drivers between the ages of 18 and 34 who were killed in crashes over the Labor Day holiday period in 2016, 47 percent of those fatalities involved drunk drivers with BACs of .08 or higher.The Geauga Safe Communities Coalition recommends these safe alternatives to drinking and driving:Remember that it is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or plan to use public transportation or a ride sharing service to get home safely.Download NHTSA’s SaferRide mobile app, available on Google Play for Android devices: (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nhtsa.SaferRide&hl=en), and Apple’s iTunes Store for iOS devices: (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/saferride/id950774008?mt=8). SaferRide allows users to call a taxi or a predetermined friend, and identifies the user’s location so he or she can be picked up.Use your community’s sober ride programIf you see a drunk driver on the road, call #677Do you have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get your friend home safely. For more information about the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, visit www.TrafficSafetyMarketing.gov or contact Jessica McCarthy at 440-350-2875 or jmccathy@lcghd.org. ###

July 23, 2018NEWS RELEASE CONTACT: Tara Perkins MSN, RN (440) 350-2453July 23, 2018 LAKE COUNTY GENERAL HEALTH DISTRICTLAKE COUNTY GENERAL HEALTH DISTRICT CONFIRMS FIRST HUMAN CASE OF WEST NILE VIRUS IN 2018The Lake County General Health District (LCGHD) announces that Ohio Department of Health (ODH) has confirmed 2018’s first human case of West Nile Virus (WNV) in Lake County, Ohio. This is the first human case of WNV in Ohio in 2018, and Lake County’s first case since 2017. This new case involves a Willoughby resident who is currently under the care of a physician.WNV is most commonly spread by infected mosquitoes. While most people who become infected do not have symptoms, a small percentage of people will develop mild symptoms such as:FeverHeadacheBody achesJoint painVomitingDiarrheaRashMore severe symptoms include encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord). Serious illness can occur in people of any age; however, people over 60 years of age and those with preexisting medical conditions such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, and transplant recipients are at the highest risk for serious illness.WNV is native to Lake County and Ohio since 2001, and will continue to be a long term, public health threat. While there are no vaccines or medications available to treat WNV, over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol, may be used to alleviate symptoms such as fever. To reduce your chances of getting infected:Use insect repellent registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on exposed skin and clothing. Always follow the package directions when using repellents.Wear long sleeves and pants after dusk through dawn when mosquitoes are the most active.Wear permethrin-treated clothing to repel and kill mosquitoes.Install or repair screen doors or windows or use air-conditioning when available.Empty standing water from containers such as flower pots, gutters, buckets, pool covers, pet water dishes, old tires and bird baths. For more information on WNV, please call LCGHD at (440) 350-2543, or visit LCGHD’s website at www.lcghd.org . ###